With DSPS, when no bright light stimulus is given, the body’s clock will migrate on its own to a later time. So the trick is to get light after the subjective peak time, so that it resets the body clock to an earlier time of day.

The trick is to get light after the subjective peak time, so that it resets the body clock to an earlier time of day.

The brain will be receptive to light therapy within a two to four hour window from this peak time, and the effect is greater when light is received closer to the peak time.
It is also important to avoid any bright light before this peak time, as this might further delay the body clock and exacerbate the problem.

Determining Body Temperature minimum
Although most people are unable to go to a sleep lab to determine their body temperature drop, they can get pretty close by examining their natural

If one is allowed to sleep in, he or she should usually wake up approximately two hours after this 'peak time'.

sleep/wake cycle. If one is allowed to sleep in, he/she should usually wake up approximately one to two hours after this ‘peak time’. For example, if the person wakes up around 2:00pm, his/her subjective peak time would be around noon. If a very strong stimulus of light is received just after noon (for at least 30 minutes), it will reset the body clock as much as two hours earlier.
The next day, bright light could be received as early as 10:00am or 10:30am. Each succeeding day the time can be set as much as 2 hours earlier until he/she is waking up at 7:00am or earlier.
The body’s internal clock can be pushed or reset as much as two hours per day, although one hour per day is more advisable. With this schedule, bright light could be received Saturday at noon, and by Monday the person could be waking up at 8:00am or 7:00am.

. Delayed circadian rhythm (waking time 11:00 a.m.+). Body temperature drop has shifted to 9 a.m. or later.

Reducing Treatment Time
Once this new schedule is set, and one is responding well to it, he/she may not need to continue using the lightbox for a full 30 minutes. After a week or two, most people can reduce their treatment schedule to 20 or even 15 minutes /day. Doctors also recommend wearing dark sunglasses for the

first few days in the morning time while resetting the body clock to an earlier time. For example, if one receives a bright stimulus of light at noon, he/she must avoid any bright light before that time because it may push the body clock in the wrong direction. Using sunglasses each day until the internal clock is reset to the proper time will help avoid this problem.

Unrecognizable Sleep Patterns
Often people will complain of Seasonal Affective Disorder without showing these symptoms of DSPS. However, the rule of thumb is that if people have a difficult time awakening (for example if they need an alarm clock to wake them up), they should use the lightbox in the morning time.

Secondary Instructions
The majority of people with Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome do very well with just morning light. However, some find after a few weeks that they still haven’t achieved the desired effect, and that they lose energy in the late afternoon or evening. Additional relief may be found by using the lightbox also in the late afternoon or evening time. However, it is critical to stay at least twice as far away from the lightbox in the evening time as opposed to morning use.
Staying twice as far away will reduce the intensity to approximately 2,500 - 3,000 lux and thus won’t confuse the brain into thinking that the evening is time to reset its body clock. If the brain receives the same intensity in the morning and evening, it could cancel the effect of morning light and not be as effective

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